In this poignant true story of a character-defining period in the life of Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren, Becoming Astrid follows a teenage Astrid living in rural Sweden when, eager to break free of her conservative upbringing, she accepts an internship at a local newspaper. After she attracts the attention of its married editor and becomes pregnant, she must leave her newborn son in the care of a foster mother, Marie, and goes into self-imposed exile in Stockholm, where she struggles to save money to visit her child.
When Marie then falls ill, Astrid must use her imagination and flair for storytelling to reconnect with her son Lassi. And over the course of her struggles, Astrid emerges with a newfound courage that will later form the foundation of a vast and beloved body of work.
Directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen, Becoming Astrid celebrates this acclaimed Swedish author on the week of her birthday, November 14. Asa Charlotte Regner, deputy executive director of intergovernmental support and strategic partnerships for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), will be introducing.
About the Director
Danish director Pernille Fischer Christensen has received the Cinéfondations 3rd Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for her short film India (1999), which she made during her training at the National Film School of Denmark. In 2003, she received the Best Short Film Award at the Danish Film Academy for Habibti My Love. Her debut feature film A Soap (2006), had its world premiere at Berlinale and was awarded the Silver Bear (the Jury Grand Prize) and Best Debut Film Award.
A Soap also received Best Script at San Sebastian and won the Danish Film Critics Award (Bodil) for Best Film in 2007. Fischer Christensen is also known for Someone You Love (2014) and A Family (2010), both honored at Berlinale.
1542308400
1542313800
Alba August in BECOMING ASTRID, Courtesy of Music Box Films.
THU—November 15—7 PM
$12 ($7 ASF Members)
. In Danish and Swedish with English subtitles.